Bladder cancer may not have many symptoms. If you experience any of these symptoms do not assume it is due to cancer. Most of these symptoms may be caused by other, less serious health conditions. If you experience any one of them, see your physician.

Bloody urine
—This is the most common early symptom of bladder cancer. Instead of being clear yellow, the urine may appear brown, rust colored, or it may have visible clots in it.
Typically, the bloody urine is intermittent, painless, and present throughout urination.

Bladder irritability
—Urinary symptoms that often accompany bladder cancer include the following:

Needing to urinate more frequently than usual

Intense urgency when needing to urinate

Pain and/or burning with urination

Inability to hold urine

Obstructive problems such as:

Decreased force of stream

Intermittent stream

Straining

Feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder

Sensation of a mass in the abdomen
—As a bladder tumor grows, you may become aware of the presence of a mass.

Pain in the abdomen and/or back
—As a bladder tumor grows and begins to put pressure on nearby nerves and organs, you may begin to feel some pain in your abdomen, back, or side.

Fever
—Fever and chills may occur if the cancer has become advanced.

Decreased appetite and unintended weight loss
—These are also late symptoms of cancer, often suggesting that the cancer has spread beyond the bladder.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.